Spark-plug cleaner



Nov. 6 1923.

SPARK PLUG CLEANER Filed March 12. 1921 11 1O 1g FIG .1.

awve/wtoz Patented Nov. 6, 1923.

time

JOHN P. TAB/BOX, 01F GARDEN CITY, NEW YORK.

SPARK-PLUG CLEANER.

Application filed March 12,

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OHN P. TARBox, a citizen of the United States, residing at Garden City, in the county of Nassau and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spark-Plug Cleaners, of which the following is a specification.

The spark plug cleaner of my invention is designed to be used in lieu of pocket knives and files now commonly used to clean plugs. A spark plug cannot be both quickly and thoroughly cleaned by these or similar implements. here are many reasons for this. These implements are not adapted for ready manipulation in the space in which the fouling deposits lie, they do not make extended or effective contact with the surfaces to be scraped, and they often do not reach to the bottoms of the spaces between the insulating core and the shell. Such spaces are often so deep that one cannot see far enough into them to be sure that the cleansing is thorough.

The implement of my invention is shown in the accompanying drawings of which,

Figure 1 is a perspective view,

Figure 2 a longitudinal section of one end,

Figure 3 a longitudinal section of the opposite end,

Figure 4 an end elevation, and

Figure 5 is a view of a plug partly in section showing the implement in use.

The body of the implement 10 is formed of an elongated substantially rectangular blank of metal or other material. substantially rectilinear channel strip transversely of arcuate section and therefore of hollow substantially semi-cylindrical form. The curvature of the arcuate section may or may not be that of a true circle. If so itis formed on a diameter intermediate the external diameter of the porcelain core of the plug and the internal diameter of the metal shell. In any event the curvature is such that one end of'it may be readily pro jected longitudinally into the annular space between the insulated core and the metal shell ofthe plug and it may be further projected the full length of the annular cavity.

On the opposite ends oft-his strip are formed a'plurality or multiplicity ofprongs 11. i The extremities of these prongs are in the one case slightly iii-turned and in the other'case slightly out-turned at an acute anglepbeing deflected laterally of the main Itisa' them.

1921. Serial N0. 451,725.

body in each case.. They are sharpened to form acute angled composite scraping edges as shown particularly in Figures 2 and These edges are substantiall at right angles to the body of the cleaner. oth the prongs and their ends are properly tempered, the prongs to impart to them an appropriate degree of flexibility, and the extremitiesto impart hardness. The temper of the prongs and the extremities may be similar or dissimilar according as conditions require.

The use of the implement exemplified in Figure 5 is very simple. First one end is inserted in the plug between the insulating core 13 and the metal shell 14, pressed against the shell or the core as the case may be, reciprocated up and down a few times on all portions of the surface, and then the other end is similarly inserted and recipr0 cated, whereupon the plug is thoroughly cleansed of all deposits. In the illustratlon in Figure 5 the end having the out-turned prong ends is inserted and the shell is in process of being cleaned. By appropriate pressure as the implement is reciprocated deposits of any degree: of hardness found in practice may be quickly and thoroughly removed. Moreover the removed deposits are scraped entirely out of the cavity and are not rammed into the bottom. The length and flexibility of the prongs enable the scraping ends 12 to be pressed into close fitting engagement with the surfaces to be scraped irrespective of variation in size and irregularities in the curvature of the surfaces to be scraped.v Thus an implement of one size can be used on several different sizes of plug; The top surfaces of the insulating core and the shell may quickly and thoroughly be scraped by the use of that end of the implement having the out-turned prongs. The spring of the prongs further permits the implement tobe deflected slightly to reach the surfaces lying immediately beneath any overhanging electrodes, as for in stance electrode 1 The metal of which the implement is made l reciprocating movement between This implement is simplicity itself, most easy to manipulate, most effective in its action, most adaptable to its several uses, and most inexpensive.

The implement may be made by any of several diiierent processes. For instanre it may be die punched in two operations from flat strip material. The first operation will sever the length of the strip, and form the prongs, the kert's between the prongs being made of sutflcient dimension to insure good die cutting. By the second operation the formed strips are rolled into arcuate section and the ends of the prongs respectively inturned and out-turned. it is to be noted that turning the ends of the prongs in causes their extremities to lie on a circle of less radius than formerly whereby the ker'ts between them are narrowed and the action is thereby rendered more effective. The same rolling operation may form the file surtace 16 or it may indeed be done by the first operation. lhe completed implements are ground as indicated in Figures :2 and 3 by pressing their ends against flat grinding surfaces, and they may be tempered in bulk in appropriate furnaces.

Another method of forming them consists in making use of tubular material of a diameter that is oi the a cuate section desired, and sawing the material into strips by thirding or quartering it lengthwise, and sawing the prongs. The saws may be arranged singly, in groups of two or more or in gangs in an appropriate machine. Circular saws may be readily used in gangs at appropriate an gles in the machine and the tubing ted longitudinaliy thru the machine being longitudinally cut into strips by a continuously acting set of saws and having the prongs formed by an intermittently acting set of saws. Transverse saws will sever the implements from each other so as to leave prongs of equal length on each, and the ends of the prongs may be turned by suitable forming irons or dies located along the path of movement o1 the material.

According to still a third method, flat strip material or any other flat material may be used and the prongs saw-keried by saws in gangs after the material is cut into strips. The forming to the requisite arcuate section then be done by dies as a third operation.

Still further, manufacture may be from multiple parts separately tabricated and assembled together to constitute the whole, instead of the one piece fabrication of integral stock.

Obviously while simple there are nevertheless possibilities of a number of modifications of this invention without departing from its fundamental nature. I desire th annexed claims to cover all such modifications.

What I claim is- 1. A spark plug cleaner comprising an elongated rectilinear channel strip of sheet metal adapted to be projected axially into a spark plug to be cleaned and having an extremity deflected laterally to a slight extent to form an arcuate scraping edge.

2. A spark plug cleaner of hollow semicylindrical form comprised at one end of a multiplicity of flexible scraping prongs each of which has a scraping edge projecting laterally. I

3. A spark plug cleaner of hollow semicylindrical form comprised at one end of a multiplicity of flexible scraping prongs the extreme tip of each of which is deflected laterally to form a composite flexible scraping edge.

4t. A spark plug cleaner of hollow semicylindrical form comprised at one end of amultiplicity of longitudinally extending flexible scraping prongs the extreme tip of each or which is deflected laterally to form a composite flexible scraping edge.

A spark plug cleaner of hollow semicylindrical form comprised at one end of a multiplicity of flexible scraping prongs the extreme tipot each of which is deflected inwardly oi' the form to constitute a composite inwardly projecting flexible scraping edge.

6. A. sheet metal spark plug cleaner formed from a substantially rectangular blank into hollow substantial semi-cylindrical shape embodying a number of longitudinally extending flexible prongs at oneuend which prongs iave their extreme tips bent laterally of heir bodies to a slight extent and terminating commonly in a plane substantially at right angles to the axis of the cleaner wherein they together form a composite flexible scraping edge of arcuate outline.

7. A spark plug cleaner comprising an elongated manipulating body member, an arcua-te shaped group of flexible scraping prongs projecting directly from one end thereof, and laterally projected scraping edges at the extremities of the prongs.

S. A spark plu cleaner comprising an elongated strip orsheet metal of substantially arcuate section having its opposite ends formed as scraping edges, the one pointed inwardly and the other pointed outwardly.

9. A spark plug cleaner comprising a body part, and scraper parts having scraping edges, the edges of one of said scraperparts being deflected inwardly to engage'the inner wall of'a cavity to be cleaned, and those of the other part being deflected outwardly to engage the outer wall of the cavity.

10. A spark plug cleaner comprising a body part, a plurality of scraper parts each otapproximate arcuate form and comprising flexible prongs, and scraping edges on the ends of said prongs, the edges on certain of said prongs being deflected inwardly to engage and scrape the inner Wall of a cavity and the edges of certain others being deflected outwardly toengage and scrape the 5 surfaces of the outer Wall of the cavity.

11. A spark plug cleaner comprising an elongated manipulating body of arcuate section, laterally separated flexible prongs in longitudinal extension of each end thereof,

and laterally projecting scraping edges at the extremities of the prongs, those edges at one end of the body being projected inwardly and those edges at the other end of the body being projected outwardly.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my 15 signature.

JOHN P. TARBOX. 

